Authorize installation of Flashing Beacons at Kids Community College SE at Balm-Riverview

The safety of our children is at risk because there are no speed control devices (flashing beacons) at the Kid's Community College® Southeast Elementary International Baccalaureate Candidate Charter School (KCC SE) Balm-Riverview entrance/exit.

Our requests through the designated channels of the Public Works/Traffic Engineering Department for these tools to be installed have been denied in preliminary drafts for school zone improvements citing that KCC SE does not have the minimum of 20 walkers to school.

KCC SE disagrees that this should be the measure for installing the flashing beacons as the main concern is the speed limit is 45 mph for vehicles traveling on Balm-Riverview with no requirement for them to slow down as they approach KCC SE during the hours of school arrival and dismissal times. Parents bringing their children to school or picking them up are forced to navigate dangerous situations as drivers are unaware that they are approaching a "school zone" and sometimes speed up as they approach the traffic signal as it turns yellow.

The intersection of McMullen Rd. & Balm-Riverview Rd. has been charted as one of the worst in the area for accidents and it is located a mere 100 feet from the school. We have witnessed 3 accidents in the past month and a half near the school, one of which involved a KCC SE parent whose vehicle was rear ended while attempting to pick their child from school. We need effective school zone speed controls in place to ensure that all that can be done to prevent future accidents, damage and loss is being done. Every school within a 5 mile radius of KCC SE has flashing beacons to slow traffic. Why not KCC SE?

We are petitioning our District 4 Board of County Commissioner, Stacy White and our District 4 Hillsborough County School District Representative, Melissa Snively to intercede in this matter to ensure that KCC SE, residents and citizens affected by this unsafe traffic and school zone situation.